This blog looks at the insurance industry's knowledge of the harmful health effects of exposure to asbestos and other related topics.

February 01, 2011

Casualty Companies Inspections 1927

The following are excepts from an address by F. Highlands Burns, President of the Maryland Casualty Company, before the United States Chamber of Commerce in May, 1927.

"So far as the public is concerned, probably the best and most widely known service rendered by the companies is accident prevention accomplished by inspections and the education of the employer and employee in safety work. The record of 35 companies shows they spent $9,342,000 in 1926 for inspections, including accident prevention, and it is safe to say the other companies engaged in the business spent several millions more."

"It is impossible to state the total saved in the way of mental and physical suffering, loss in wages, loss in production and economic loss generally, due to the service rendered by the casualty companies in safety work."

"The casualty companies were the pioneers in industrial accident work in this country. In the days of employers' liability they began to realize that their duty to their policyholders did not lie alone in the prompt settlement of claims, but that a necessary element that could and should be rendered was co-operation with their policyholders in accident prevention work. The outgrowth of this is the employment of many trained and experienced men who inspect each risk periodically, make recommendations for the elimination of defects, which if allowed to continue might easily cause loss of thousands of dollars in property and untold loss in life and disability. The average manufacturer can not afford to employ a safety engineer, or safety expert, nor can he afford to provide safety literature and material necessary to properly conduct safety supervision in his plant. This service is provided by the companies. 'No accident campaigns' are conducted under the auspices of representatives of the casualty companies. Their safety engineers assist in designing and constructing safety devices and safeguards, attend plant meetings and assist in conducting them."